NORFOLK, Va. – In the final game of the series with Old Dominion, the University of Pennsylvania baseball team held an 8-5 lead before allowing two runs in the bottom of the seventh and two more in the bottom of the eighth, to fall 9-8 to the Monarchs Monday afternoon.

Looking for more consistent offense, Penn (1-5) found more production in the final game of three against ODU (5-5).

Four Quaker hitters totaled multiple hits in the game – junior Matt Greskoff, freshman Jakob Levison, senior Matt McKinnon, and senior Mitch Montaldo. All four had two hits for Penn.

Providing the key offensive punches were Greskoff, Montaldo, and senior Austin Bossart. Greskoff hit a solo home run in the second inning, his second home run of the year, while Montaldo lined a two-run double down the right field line in a four-run Quaker fourth inning. Bossart gave Penn its 8-5 lead in the top of the seventh inning with a two-run home run to left field, his first of the season.

On the mound, sophomore starting pitcher Jake Cousins pitched 5.0 innings, allowing five runs – three earned – and left the game with the lead. The right-hander struck out one batter.

In relief, senior Dan Gautieri (0-1) worked 1.1 innings before running into trouble. A double, followed by an error, a balk, and a single allowed the Monarchs two runs, making it an 8-7 game going into the eighth inning.

In the top half of the inning, Penn had an opportunity with men on first and second and one out. After a strikeout and an intentional walk to Bossart to load the bases, a strikeout to end the inning halted the scoring chance.

In its half of the eighth, ODU's P.J. Higgins hit a two-run home run to left field giving the Monarchs the 9-8 lead.

Levison would single with two outs in the ninth inning for the Quakers, before Sam Sinnen closed the game out for ODU.

Penn continues its spring break trip versus VCU in Richmond, Va. on Tuesday and Wednesday. Both games are scheduled for 3 p.m. starts.

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